Normal Body Flora

Other terms we use:

 Normal body biota

 Normal body microbiota
 Normal body microflora

Flora: The plant life characteristic of a special location. Can be macroflora or microflora.

Microbiota: The combined microflora and microfauna characteristic of a special location.

NORMAL FLORA = NORMAL BIOTA

Healthy human beings (animals) develop intimate and complex relationships with microorganisms
(usually BACTERIA & FUNGI) which reside ON or WITHIN (IN) CERTAIN SITES of our bodies

- Some permanently
- Others just temporarily

Those that live on/in us STABLY (i.e in symbiotic equilibrium) are called NORMAL BODY
FLORA/BIOTA.

Their numbers: Simply ENORMOUS!!!

It is estimated that they are 10x the total number of our own cells!!!

Symbiotic Equilibrium (or LIVING IN SMYBIOSIS)

Symbiosis: Living together / close association of TWO DISSIMILAR organisms (each one a symbiont).
One lives on/in the other (host).

3 Kinds:

1. Commensalism: One party gained, the other neither harmed nor benefit from the
association
2. Mutualism: Both gain from association and are unable to survive without it
3. Parasitism: One party adversely affects the other and the parasite cannot live without the
host.

Most microbial parasites are called pathogens. The term parasite is usually reserved for protozoa,
worms or insects.

So normal flora/microbiota:

Are they commensals? Or Mutualists? Or even Parasites?

That depends!!!

- Mostly = Commensals
- Taken collectively = Mutualists
 - Occasionally under certain circumstances may cause opportunistic infections

RESIDENT BIOTA/FLORA

 Newborn
- Initially any organisms that happen to land in a particular site
- Week 2: all babies have similar population of microbes!
 These are called RESIDENT BIOTA/FLORA
 Each site/body surface has its own characteristic biota
 Combination/SIZE may vary a little, but the resident biota of a site is characteristic of the
site, and PERMANENT.
 For one reason or another, occasionally other species land on a particular site. BUT MOST
not equipped to stay permanently. These are TRANSIENT BIOTA
- E.g: Skin biota reduced by washing antiseptics but cannot be eliminated!
- On the other hand, Transient biota CAN be eliminated.
 Hospitals: Most staff exposed to and thus harbor transient biota (including pathogens!) but
NOT affected by them. They can transfer these to their patients
= HOSPITAL/NOSOCOMIAL INFECTIONS!!
Prevention -> Good habit of hand washing

OPPORTUNISTS

 ‘Opportunity’ arises usually when there is:

- A breakdown in the host’s immune system
- Use of broad-spectrum antimicrobials
- Implantation of devices (catheters, metal joints, etc)
 A normal resident like Candida albicans can be opportunistic
 A non-resident like Pseudomonas aeruginosa is opportunistic in such a circumstance too

CHANGING FLORA/BIOTA:

 Resident biota relatively stable, but DO change over time

E.g: Normal flora of toothless newborns slightly different from those with teeth
- Surface of teeth: Streptococcal spp.
- Crevices: Anaerobes (Fusobacterium spp and Bacteroides spp)
 In intestines of >90% of breast-fed only babies:
- Bifidobacterium is the ONLY bacterium isolated!
- ‘Bifidus factor’ in breast milk favours its growth (?)
- Bacteria ferments milk sugar to acetic and lactic acids
- Low pH = incompatible for growth of other bacteria
- Therefore less illnesses like diarrhea
 Babies that are given formula milk or fed solid foods
= Bifidobacterium is replaced by normal biota as in adults
 Vagina of newborn baby girl = Lactobacillus spp
- Acidic (effect of transplacentally-acquired oestrogen)
- After 2-3 weeks, oestrogen , vagina becomes alkaline
 - Leads to appearance of:
i. Clostridium spp
ii. Fusobacterium spp
iii. Bacteroides spp
iv. Candida Albicans
- Occasional infection by E.coli from GIT
- During puberty, Oestrogen , vaginal cells produce glycogen.
- Lactobacilli spp flourishes again
- Protects from infection during reproductive years
- [Lactobacillus acidophilus – Doderlein’s bacillus]
- At menopause -> vagina becomes alkaline again

 Therefore, these are called CHANGING FLORA/BIOTA

 The symbiotic equilibrium when disturbed -> infection
 When normal flora from one anatomical site move to another site:
= endogenous infections
- Can be relatively trivial
- May be life threatening

STERILE AREAS OF HUMAN BODY SITES include:

 CNS
 Circulation
 Lower bronchi
 Alveoli
 Liver
 Spleen
 Kidneys
 Urinary Bladder

SKIN

Largest human organ (~15% total body weight)

Functions:

- Protect host
- Regulate temperature

Microorganisms/Normal Biota:

 10^4 per sq. cm of dry skin

 90% can be removed through washing
 Within 8 hours -> back to near normal
 Majority commensals
 Produce pathogen inhibiting fatty acids
 S. Aureus
 = 5-10% of people healthy carriers
 S. Epidermidis
= Opportunist. Some strains are non-pathogenic
 Others: Weakly pathogenic opportunists

NASAL CAVITY/NASOPHARYNX

 Air that enters contains dust, debris & microorganisms

 At birth – sterile. 24 hours later – teemed with microorganisms
 Average = 10^4 microorganisms inhaled daily
 Most removed by local mucociliary system
 Patients with cystic fibrosis produce abnormally thick mucus. Cilia cannot move well
Result: Frequent infections
 Toxic substances in cigarette smoke – mucociliary system weakened.
Result: Frequent URTI’s
 Biota :
- densely colonized
- Several = similar to those on skin
- S.Epidermidis in nasal cavities of >90% of humans